Two hospital healthcare assistants were unaware an elderly woman was paralysed and unable to stand when they lifted her onto her legs, an inquest heard.

Elsie Ridgeway suffered a fractured femur when her legs gave way at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, and died two days later of cardiac failure.

The 82-year-old, of Cerrig yr Afon Nursing Home, Felinheli, was a patient on Moelwyn ward in August 2011 and was looking forward to being discharged, her daughter told the hearing at Caernarfon.

Concluding Mrs Ridgeway died accidentally, North Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said her death was directly linked to the fall.

The coroner added he was concerned at the delay in holding an inquest noting a previous hearing had been adjourned because of insufficient evidence.

“It proved very difficult to get information from the hospital. I said I would serve penal notices – essentially saying, ‘tell me what you know or I will fine you’. Fortunately I did not have to serve them as the threat of them led to information required being provided.”

After the hearing Mrs Ridgeway’s family said they were considering taking the matter further.

Her daughter, Jackie Porter, said she had insisted a note be made her mother was unable to move and was “completely dependent on others” after a stroke in 2006.

But Dwynwen Jones and Sylvia Marshall, who went to assist Mrs Ridgway when she used the call bell, said they were unaware of the note and had lifted her onto her legs.

Insisting Mrs Ridgeway did not fall “like a sack”, Ms Jones said her legs gave way. “There was no thud and she was let down gently onto the floor,” she said.

Asked by the coroner if Mrs Ridgeway had said anything about not being able to stand, Mrs Marshall said she couldn’t remember.

The coroner said the two assistants were not among those who had been slow in providing him details.

Another daughter, Erica Lindley said her mother was admitted for a chest infection and the night before the incident was excited at being discharged. “I took clothes for mum and when I got to the ward I found the curtains were drawn.

“A nurse said she had had a fall. I went to see her and found her in pain. She said she had told them (staff) she had not used her legs for five years. ‘They dropped me’ she told me. It was awful, just awful.”

Mrs Ridgway died two days later.

“I was concerned to see her in such a state and tried to speak to a nurse about it but she was very abrupt. I wanted answers but I wasn’t getting any,” said Mrs Lindley.

Pathologist Mark Lord said Mrs Ridgway was in poor health including severe heart disease. “Her imobility caused her bones to soften and weaken and in this incident she suffered a broken femur. The shock caused additional strain on her already frail condition and she suffered cardiac failure,” he said.

Angela Hopkins, director of nursing at Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board said: “I would like to offer my sincere apologies to Mrs Ridgeway’s family for any distress caused.

“An investigation was undertaken at the time by the Primary, Community and Specialist Medicine Clinical Programme Group. This included a review of staff training and of the manual handling assessment documentation for patients used at that time.

“Staff fully co-operated with the investigation process and appropriate actions have been taken to improve practices.”